The End of the Poem

Through an examination of poems by Yeats, Stevie Smith, and Fernando Pessoa, the author delves into the interconnectedness of poetry and its creators. He questions whether a poem can exist independently or if it is intrinsically linked to an author's broader work and life experiences. Highlighting the concept of influence, Muldoon reflects on Robert Frost's assertion that understanding a poem requires considering all poetry that precedes it, suggesting a limitless dialogue among literary works.